The present invention relates generally to new and novel improvements in thermally transferable printing ribbons and methods of making the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to multi-layer thermally transferable printing ribbons and methods of making the same which permit users to print, for example, a black bar code image and a clear fluorescent image on the same label.
Customers sometimes specify that more than one type of printing media be used for printed images or characters on a document. For example, it is sometimes desirable to print a black bar code image and a clear fluorescent image on the same label. To accomplish this, it has been generally necessary to first print the labels with one thermally transferable printing ribbon, for example, a visible black thermally transferable printing ribbon to print the black bar image using a thermal printer. Then, the same labels would be run through the thermal printer again with another thermally transferable printing ribbon, for example, a clear fluorescent security thermally transferable printing ribbon to print the clear fluorescent image onto the labels.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is the provision of multi-layer thermally transferable printing ribbons and methods of making the same capable of printing different printing media onto paper or other print receiving media using a single thermally transferable printing ribbon.
Another object of the present invention is to provide multi-layer thermally transferable printing ribbons and methods of making the same capable of reducing the time necessary to print, for example, a black bar code image and a fluorescent security image, onto paper or other print receiving media by approximately 50%.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained by the provision of multi-layer thermally transferable printing ribbons and methods of making the same consisting of elongated backing elements having a subcoat layer requiring a relatively high level of thermal energy to transfer the subcoat layer and a topcoat layer which requires a lower level of thermal energy to transfer the topcoat layer. Accordingly, when printing using a lower level of thermal energy, only the topcoat layer will transfer onto the paper or other print receiving medium. On the other hand, if a relatively high level of thermal energy is used, both the topcoat layer and the subcoat layer will transfer onto the paper or other print receiving medium, with the subcoat layer remaining on top and blocking or obscuring the topcoat layer.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.